A Party and Forever
by millerycafro
Summary: Max is your average only child, 17 yr old girl. Her parents, Jeb & Valencia decide to move from their homestate Washington to Rhode Island, all the way across the country. In Rhode Island, Max makes friends, parties, and then meets the love of her life...
1. Chapter 1

**One: Max's POV**

"Oh my gosh," I whispered as I burst into tears.

"Max! What's wrong?" my dad came into the room, alarmed by my sudden tears.

"The…the…the plane…" I gasped for air. "The plane…mom was…on," I focus on breathing; breathe in, breathe out, inhale, exhale…

"The plane sweetie?" my dad asked, pulling me back into the horrifying present.

"It just…just…exploded…in mid-air. And the guy…for CNN news…he's on scene…now." I forced out the sentence before beginning to sob harder.

My dad sat down on the couch next to me, stunned. "Valencia," he whispered brokenly.

"This, is Fred Stickerman, reporting to you live on the scene just beneath where the plane IXXV exploded in mid-air. The cause of the explosion is still yet to be determined, and medics already on scene predict no survivors." The television reporter spoke at us.

As I slowly register what Fred said in my mind, I some how begin sobbing harder, and then the phone rings.

"Hello?" my dad answers. "Just a second." He comes over to me. "Sweetie? It's Serena, on the phone. Do you want me to have her call back?"

I shake my head and go to the phone.

"Hello?" I choke out.

"Oh," she gasps, already guessing at my life's situation; Serena begins crying.

"No survivors," she whispers. "Max, I'm so incredibly sorry. She's watching over you, right now. She's your angel." Serena told me; she was a church girl, through-and-through.

"Mhm," I mumble, wiping my face on my sleeve.

"I'm sorry Max, but I have to go. I'll talk to you later, okay?" Serena finally says.

"Oohkay, bye." I mumble as I hang up.

"Did she see?" my dad asks as I come back over to the couch. I merely nod as I glue my eyes back onto the television screen.

"No explanation for the cause of the explosion has yet been released, but there are still, no signs of survival. We are still optimistic as CNN crew members, but the medics aren't so sure." He paused.

I couldn't take it anymore. I stood up and ran into my almost empty bedroom. I fell onto my bed and sobbed.

* * *

"Come on, sweetie. You need to pack your bed stuff so we can pack your stuff into the truck or van and leave. Come on, it's time to go." My dads' gentle hands shook me awake.

"Erg, fine." I rolled over, rubbing my eyes in the process. "Ouch," I mutter; my eyes slowly open, still sore from crying.

I sit up and begin to fold the sheets around me. I assemble the only unused box left in my room and stuffed my remaining items into it. Comforter first, then afghan, sheets, pillows, blankies, and finally, my childhood teddy bear.

I kicked the box out of my room and down the hallway as I reached the half staircase leading to my front door and basement. I kick the box down the stairs and then out to the van. For our move out east we decided to drive cross country; my dad in his truck, and I in the family van.

We got it for the whole economy thing that was going on. I think its total bullshit, but my dad wanted to…

I lifted my box into the passenger seat and went back to the house to find my dad who was surveying our now white clad house. We had decided to leave all of our furniture here, to get a fresh start on the east coast.

"Ready to go?" I ask my dad.

"Hm?" he turns around. "Oh, yeah. You got everything?"

"Yes," I mutter. "I'm going to Serena's before we get on the highway, though. I need to say goodbye." I tell him. I don't want to leave Serena here alone, I feel bad about it, but at the same time, I can't wait to move on.

My dad and I each get into the two cars and pull out of the driveway for the last time. I drive the few blocks to Serena's with my dad in tow. I stop and get out, letting myself into her house.

"Max?" Serena peeks around the corner.

"It's time for you to go already?" she asks sadly, a tear forming at the corner of her eye.

"Yes," I sigh. "And all I know is that it's someplace in Rhode Island, my dad won't tell me the rest. I'll let you know as soon as I know, okay?"

"Sounds good, and we _can't_ lose touch. Seriously, Max, you have to call me. Every day."

"Every day," I promise, hugging her.

"I have something for you, before you go." She smiles and disappears for a few moments. She reappears with a decent sized box in her hands.

"Um…that's big…and you didn't need to do that. I didn't think to get you anything." I admit.

"Just open it." She grins.

I tear off the paper and pull open the top flaps. The first thing I pull out is a deep plum purple string bikini.

Serena grins. "It's nice in Rhode Island. You actually get warm, _dry_ summers."

I nod and keep going. Next is a CD with our favorite songs in it, and then a bag of _Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chips_.

I grin as I remember all the messes we made as kids making these cookies. I feel the tears forming in my eyes, threatening to spill over.

At the bottom of the box, the last gift to the goodbye memories, was my favorite squishy pillow of Serena's.

"But," I begin to say.

"Just take it." She says. "You know you want to." She wiggles her eyebrows. I cave; grinning as a tear slowly escapes the corner of my eye. I hug Serena tightly and whisper, "Every day." She nods.

We slowly put my things back into the box as we hug one last time. She walks me out to the van and we both begin to cry as I shut the driver side door. I roll down the window and call, "Bye," as I start the car.

"Every day," she calls back.

"Every day," I repeat, and then I drive away. I stop at the end of the road and let my dad pass me so he can lead.


	2. Chapter 2

**TWO: Max's POV**

We had been driving all day and it was now eleven forty-five. It was pitch black out and I was crashing. I decide to call my dad.

"Hello?" he answers.

"Dad," my voice cracks from lack of use. I hadn't even cranked the radio for this trip so far.

"Can we stop? I need to sleep, I'm crashing. Fast."

"Sure, no problem sweetie. Just be careful, we'll pull out on the exit. Find a motel to stay at for the night, okay?" he asks.

"Sounds good. See you in a bit." I hang up. I decide to turn the radio up slightly, needing sound. I feel lonely. Then I spot Serena's box next to me and hit the power off button on the radio.

I pick up my phone and dial Serena's cell phone.

"Hello?" she answers groggily on the third ring.

"Hey!" I exclaim in a bit of a better mood at hearing my best friends' voice.

"Hey," she sounds a little more awake. "Max, it's…" she pauses, "twelve forty-five in the morning."

"What?" I look at my satellite clock. "It's only eleven forty-five," I'm confused.

"Satellite clock?" she asks.

"Yeah?" I'm still quite confused.

"You're in the next time zone over," she explains.

"Ooh! I'm sorry, I didn't even realize." I apologize. Whoops.

"It's okay. So, how are you? Have you slept at all yet?" she's more awake every second.

"Nah, but we're pulling off the highway at the next exit to find a motel or something because I'm crashing, fast." We laugh a little.

"Yeah, driving and crying put together excessively can really take it out of you." I can almost see her smiling warmly at me.

"So I've heard," I grin slightly. "Ooh, shit, my dad's pulling off the exit. I got to go. I'll call you tomorrow. Well, later today. Okay?" I try to be quick.

"Okay, I'll talk to you later. Bye," she surrenders talking to go back to sleep.

"Bye," I hang up and put my phone into the cup holder in the center below the radio.

I slow down behind my dad and flick on my left blinker just as he has and pull out behind him. We slowly make our way down the road until we spot a place called Lea's Bed and Breakfast. I flash my lights at him, signaling that this seems good for the night so we pull in and get ready to go in. I pull out my icy blue duffle and slowly fill it with Serena's pillow, my baby blankies, my teddy bear, and my bathroom stuff in the charcoal black bathroom bag before climbing into the back to find the clothes box with my pajamas in it.

I pulled out my black guy sweats and icy blue tank top and stuffed them into the bag. I was unsure of the temperature outside, so just in case, I pulled my black blanket around my shoulders before stepping out to meet my dad before heading inside.

"I'm sorry, we are closed," the lady at reception says.

"Oh, sorry," I mumble, turning back towards the door.

"Moe! Give it a rest, don't go, you are welcome here tonight. We have an open room, just for the two of you." Another lady walks into the room.

I turn back around to face a tall, blond haired, blue eyed woman who looked very motherly and kind.

"Thanks," I say, following her up a flight of stairs and down a hall. Our room is the last door on the left.

"Breakfast will be served at nine. Feel free to shower or watch television or anything you wish while you stay. It will be thirty dollars for the night plus ten dollars for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day. See you at nine." Lea whispered quietly to us, as not to wake any other sleeping guests. My dad and I nodded before I headed for the shower.

"Max," something shakes me. "Max, sweetie, wake up." My dad's voice registered in my mind. I slowly open my eyes, sadly coming back to the present. Why did he have to wake me up? I was with mom, at our new mystery house, and we were decorating, unpacking our belongings.

"Are you okay?" my dad asks as I walk out of the bathroom. "You're awfully quite," he observes.

"I'm fine; I just had a dream about mom. I'm alright," I turn back to the bathroom and dab my eyes with a cold washcloth before re-applying my black eyeliner.

"Ready to leave?" my dad asks as I walk back into the room. I nod as I re-stuff my duffle bag and follow him down the stairs.

"Leaving so soon?" Lea appears behind us.

"Yes, we really must be going, we're driving all the way to Rhode Island, you know." My dad informs her.

"Ah, I see. I come from Connecticut, myself. Born and raised in East Hartford."

"I see. I've only been east a few times before, once for work, once because a close friend of mine passed on, and another because I traveled cross country before coming back home." They continue their conversation.

I nudge my dad to let him know that I'm going to the car as I wrap my blanket around my shoulders. I quietly open the door and let myself out of Lea's Bed and Breakfast.

I start my car and throw my duffle behind my seat before grabbing my CD from Serena and popping it into the player on the dash.

I'm settling into my seat, waiting for my dad to pay and come out when the first song starts to play, and I can't help but sing along and miss Serena as I plunge into memories of life in Grays Harbor.

The best thing about tonight's that we're not fighting

I sing, flashing back on all of my memories of me and Sam. After the short 'honey moon phase' of us, we fought a lot. It was a great day when we didn't fight. Towards the end he became abusive, and when my dad found out, he kicked Sams' ass.

I was fourteen and haven't been in a relationship since. I was truly scared, and I still am to be quite honest.

This is not what I intended, I always swore to you I'd never fall apart.

I continue to sing, thinking about the phase after Sam was out of my life in the most ways possible. I'd never intended to be all messed up by him or to have to have my dad intercede in the situation. The ordeal almost landed him in prison for ten years. We had a good lawyer; he only had to serve two of those years.

I may have failed, but I have loved you from the start.

My stereo continued. I plunged into my thoughts of how his abuse was my fault. I'd failed, but, I still loved him. It was a hard fight to battle.

Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you, over again, don't make me  
change my mind, or I won't live to see another day, I swear it's true, because a  
girl like you is impossible to find, you're impossible to find.

The chorus poured out of my speakers and my mouth as I sang along and thought about Sam and I, and my father.


End file.
